Firing apparatus for submarine mines.



G. E. ELIA. FIRING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE MINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 1913- WITNESSES GIOVANNI EMAIVUELE ELIA ATTQRNEyS.

G. E. ELIA. FIRING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE MINES. APPLIOATION FILED JULY15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.'

W\TN ESSES INVE NTO R GIOVANNI EMA NUELE EuA ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

STA 1 PEN Erica.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, OF ROME, ITALY, ASSIGNOB TO VIGKERS LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

FIRING APPARATUS FOR SUBMARINE MINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 1915.

Application filed July 15,1913. Serial No. 779,107.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA, a subject of the King of Italy, and a resident of Rome, Italy, have invented a new and Improved Firing Apparatus for Submarine Mines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to submarine mines, and more particularly to firing apparatus of that type wherein the firing mechanism is controlled by one or more movable members so arranged on the exterior of the mine as to be moved by a vessel coming into contact with such members' The invention has for its general objects to improve and simplify the construction and operation of apparatus of the character referred to so as to be reliable and eflicient in use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and so designed as to insure safety from explosion of the mine from other causes other than by a Vessel contacting therewith.

A further object of the invention is the provision of simple, eifective and novel controlling means for mines of that type wherein the firing of the explosives is eflected by the upward buoyant action of the mine through a limited lost motion with respect to the anchor cable when the means for holding the mine down is released.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a plurality of devices mounted on the mine to engage a vessel and be moved thereby for the purpose of releasing the locking bolt that holds the mine down against its buoyancy and prevents the actuation of the firing mechanism, except when the bolt is released by any one or more of the devices being moved several times by contact with the hull of a vessel.

With these'objects in view, and others as will appear as the description proceeds, the invention comprises various novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be more fully described hereinafter and set forth with particularity in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a mine with the controlling means for the firing apparatus shown in section; and Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views showing different operatlve positions of the mine with respect to a vessel.

Referring to the drawings, 9 designates a mine of that character which is adapted to be moored below the surface of the Water and at such a depth as to be capable of contacting with the hull of a vessel, the mine being moored in any suitable manner, as for instance, by an anchor cable 9 and an anchor 9 Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive. The anchor cable 9' is connected with a clevis b or equivalent means which is hingedly connected at b with a coupling device a at the bottom of the mine. This device a is part of a firing mechanism arranged within the mine 9, and as this mechanism is of common form and constitutes no part of the present invention it is not shown, but it is to be understood that the mechanism produces an explosion whenever the mine is released from the holding or anchoring means and rises by its own buoyancy through a limited range of free movement or lost motion. The mine 9 is held down with respect to the anchor means and against its own buoyancy by a locking bolt 0 which is slidable horizontally in a housing f fastened to the under side or bottom of the mine 9, such hous ing inclosing a spring 6 which engages aring or' shoulder d fastened to the inner end of the bolt'c. The spring 6 holds the inner end of the bolt 0 against a rotary element 71. mounted in the section 71 of the lock-- ing bolt housing, and in this element It is a recess j, which, when moved into alinement with the bolt 0, allows the latter to move to the right, Fig. 1, under the tension of the spring 6, so as to remove the outer end of the bolt from engagement with the shoulder formed by the lower end of the device a. \Vhen this occurs-the mine 9 is free to rise by its buoyancy and operate the firing mechanism within the mine.

The turning of the bolt-controlling element h is eflected by a ratchet mechanism consisting of a ratchet wheel is which is integral with or fastened to the rotary ele- "ment h, and cooperating with the ratchet his plunger 0 1s u q moved in one direction by a helical spring 9 which bears on a shoulder p on the plunger 0, and movement of'the plunger in a direction against the tension of the spring 9 is elfected by devices V and X mounted on the exterior of the mine in such a manner that the devices can be moved by coming into contact with 'a' vessel. Cooperating with the ratchet wheel is a spring-pressed.

. the arms to engage with the hull of a vessel in practically every conceivable position. The mine will contact with respect to the hull as shown in Figs. 2 to 4 inclusive. It will be understood that as a vesselcomes into contact with the mine the same will rotate andwith each rotation either device V or. X will be deflected or moved and thereby reciprocate the pawl m, which is operatively connected with both actuating devices V and X. Obviously more than two actuating devices and other arrangements may be employed; Each lever or arml is attached to a base piece or bushing 2 which is movably mounted on a base block 4, there being a flexible guard 6 at the joints between the base block 4 and base piece 2, so as to prevent the entrance of sea water. Extending from the base blocks to the plunger 0 of the pawl m are flexible elements or cables t and M which are both connected with the plunger 0 and respectively connected with the arms V and X. The cables are connected with the parts 2 of the arms V and X by passing through 'a bushing 5 which is screwed into a thimble 3 fitting in the base piece 2. By this arrangementthe cable t or u is pulled whenever the arm V or X is moved to one side of its normal or radial position, as by contacting with the hull of a vessel. When the arm moves out of contact with the vessel it is restored to normal position automatically by the 'resiliency of the spring which spring also moves the plunger 0 and causes the pawl m to move a step to engage another tooth of the ratchet wheel is. It is necessary to move the ratchet wheel several steps before the recess j moves into registry with the locking bolt 0, and consequently the arm V or X must be oscillated several times for this purpose,and these oscillations are produced by the rotation of the mine due to its contact Since a plurality of oscillations are required it is obvious that the controlling apparatus will not be effected by an explosion of an adjacent mine, since at the best such explosion could the gap between the open end of the housing and the bolt 0.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawlngs, the advantages of the construction and method of operation will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, and while I have I described the principle of operation, together with the apparatus which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative, and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. The combination with a submarine mine of firing controlling means carried thereby, a plurality of outwardly projecting movable arms carried by the mine, and means connected with said movable arms for bringing said controllingmeans into operativeposition for firing the mine by the suc'-' cesslve movements of the plurality of arms.

. 2. The combination with a submarine mine, of a firing controlling means carried thereby, outwardly projecting movable arms carried by the mine, and means connected with said movable arms for bringing said firing controlling means into operative position for firing the mine, said firing controlling means being brought into operative position only by a plurality of movements of said outwardly extending arms.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a mine, a mooring means with relation to which the mine has a limited upward movement, a locking bolt on the mine and engaging a portion of the, mooring means for holding the mine down against its buoyancy, a rotating element with which the locking bolt is held in en a ement and having a recess for permitting t e bolt to be released, a step-by-step device for turning the said element, and a plurality of vessel actuated oscillatory members mounted on the exterior of the mine and independently connected with said step-by-step device for actuating the latter.

4. The combination of a submarine mine, an element at the bottom of the mine and with respect to which the latter has alimited upward movement for effecting the firing of the mine, a moorin device connected with the said element, a olt on the mine normally engaging the said element, a sping tending to release the bolt, a movable device for holding the bolt in engaged position, a ratchet means for moving the said device,

a spring for moving the ratchet m eansin one direction, a plurality of oscillatory members mounted on the mine and extending therefrom, and connecting means between the members and said ratchet means for moving the latter against the tension of the said spring.

5. The combination of a submarine mine, with a firing controlling mechanism including a plurallty of oscillatory members mounted on the exterior of the mine at one side of the vertical axis and respectively above and below the horizontal axis.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GIOVANNI EMANUELE ELIA.

Witnesses: i

Rosa HARDWIGK, 5 JAMES P. Cozznm. 

